Sunday, January 21, 2007

Suspicious Circumstances

Sandra Ruttan's debut mystery is filled with twists and turns to satisfy any reader of crime fiction. Reluctant allies work together, not even completely trusting each other in a town enveloped in secrets.

Lara Kelly is a new reporter at The Ledger in Oakridge, CT when a man brings her a video that looks like a woman committing suicide. When her editor pushes her to connect that video with crooked cops, her story in the newspaper draws the attention of the police. Detective Tymen Farraday shows up in her office, a man with a bitter history with reporters. Reluctantly joining forces, they find a possible crime scene that is violated, and a file is stolen. Farraday and Kelly follow their clues and instincts into a case muddled in politics, violence, and threats. The corruption in Oakridge seems to touch countless people as reporters dig into stories about drugs and missing women. Soon, Kelly and Farraday realize there are very few people they can trust as they doggedly continue to dig for answers.

Kelly and Farraday are strong characters, persistent detectives determined to do the legwork and brainwork necessary to solve crimes. Ruttan's first book shows excellent police and journalistic skills at work in a story that will satisfy all of us who enjoy watching cases slowly reveal themselves.

About Me

I have been a library manager/administrator for over 30 years, in Ohio, Florida, Arizona, and, now, Indiana. Winner of the 2011 Arizona Library Association Outstanding Library Service Award. I am a contributing Book Reviewer for Library Journal, Mystery Readers Journal, and ReadertoReader.com. Author of the "Mystery Fiction" chapter in Genreflecting: A Guide to Popular Reading Interests (7th ed.) Winner of the 2009 and 2010 Spinetingler Awards for Best Reviewer.

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No Comfort for the Lost

Review Policy

It's an honor to be asked to review books, and I'm grateful to all the publishers, publicists, and authors who send me books. Thank you. Reviews will appear on my blog if I've had a chance to read, and finish, the book. If I do not finish a book, I won't review it, and I will not respond to emails asking when, or if, I'll be reviewing a book.

My reviews are only my opinion, and do not reflect the views of the Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library.

I will not review self-published books, and, at the present time, do not accept books in e-book format.

Disclosure of review copies

My Oct. 19, 2009 blog provides full disclosure that I only receive review copies of books, with no other compensation. All review copies are marked as such. If there any any questions, please feel free to contact me.

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